For the Horde!
by Eyes like Dawn
Summary: The Horde invades Stormwind, and they're after the king!  Just something I wrote after a for the Horde raid. Read and review.


_A-N: I did a 'For The Horde' last night and decided to write a little story about when we attacked Stormwind. Obviously something's I had to stretch, but the basic theme is exactly what happened. _

**Blizzard owns Warcraft. I own nothing.**

~8~8~

The guards who patrolled the Stormwind docks were said to have the easiest job in all of Stormwind. All they basically did was watch other people work. The captains took care of their own ships, knowing if they let dangerous stowaways aboard it would mean dire repercussions from the city. Ledgers brought to the ship masters desk made sure, all peoples and items were accounted for.

Those who didn't have to come to the docks most certainly didn't, the powerful smell of rank fish and burly, rough and tumble sweaty sailors with skin tough and leathery from working in the salt spray an unrelenting sun, was enough to turn back even the most hardened of criminal.

Perhaps the occasional suspicious ship would pass by, but none dare attack the greatest dock on Azeroth. That was suicide.

A patrol man yawned widely leaning against a few barrels looking towards the quiet waters. Night patrol was the most interesting time in the docks. Sailors on land leave would be coming and going from the nearest bars, drunk off the backsides and proclaiming loudly their exploits with the bar wenches. They meant no harm, mostly, just having a good time before a another day's hard work.

The bells from the Cathedral of the Light tolled out softly through the city eleven times, telling the guard he could have an hours nap before the midnight ship from Kalimdor rolled in. Giving a jaw cracking yawn, he took off his plate helm, and smiled sleepily as he ran his hand through the blue mane atop it before setting in on a nearby barrel. Leaning his bulk on the same barrel, his head quickly began dipping forward, his breathing slowly steadying.

A gloved hand wrapped around his mouth, and his eyes shot open. Before he could move the glimmer of moon light off dagger steel caught his eye as it moved to his throat. In mere seconds the dagger penetrated his skin bringing a sash of blood erupting out of his body and dribbling down the front of his breastplate, staining his blue and white tabard. The eyes rolled into the back of his skull, and he sunk to the cobblestone, lifeless.

Sheathing the dagger, the cold yellow eyes of the Forsaken shot around the dock making sure no one else was around. Silently he dragged the corpse behind the barrel just as a few sailors were coming into view.

One of the sailors stopped suddenly, teetering back and forth as he peered at the barrel where the guards normally stood by.

"Did…did you see that…lads." The sailor ask before belching loudly.

Another scratched his beer belly lazily looking in the same direction. "Aint seen nothing…but the guard left his hat!"

"I saw something, I'm sure O it." The first sailor said, nodding to himself as he began to walk over and investigate in his drunken state.

His blood shot eyes, gazed over the barrel intently, he picked up the plate helm admiring the workmanship before looking on the other side of the barrel. The corpse of the soldier lay nearly drenched in his own blood, his throat looking as if something had bitten into it.

The terror of the horrendous sight paralyzed the sailor who only faintly registered the appearance of the rogue right in front of him. Mouth coated in the soldiers blood, the rogue stabbed upward at the sailor sending his dagger through the bottom of his chin and right to his brain. The sailor gurgled once, and stumbled backward much to the hilarity of his friends.

"Looks like old Galvan had to much rum!" One chuckled.

Another joined in on the fun, yet the last sailor actually noticed the forsaken who did nothing to hide himself.

"Horde!" The sailor cried.

The other turned to see the figure brandish his daggers straightening his form as if in challenge though did not move.

"Horde!" Another roared out beginning to back away slowly.

Plate boots were heard coming towards the noise of the sailors, lanterns cast eerie glows of the guards who ran up to the trio, none to pleased with their ruckus.

"What is the meaning of this!" The captain asked, his sword still sheathed but plated hand wrapped around its hilt as he glared at the drunken 3 angrily.

Things like this always happened, drunken sailors would claim to see something, whether it was Horde, as they were hollering about, or Deathwing himself! The captain was just about to take them in, for disturbing the peace when a sailor pointed behind him.

"See sir, there it is!"

The guards turned just in time to see the Forsaken crouching on top of the barrel, offering a rude hand gesture to them.

The guards swords unsheathed almost collectively as they spread out in a wide arch surrounding the forsaken.

"Watch your sides, he looks like a slippery one." The captain ordered his men as he hefted his shield protectively about his person.

He made a motion with his hand and the guards began to come in closer, swords pointed directly at the smiling, unmoving rogue.

"Now!" The captain yelled, charging to the rogue.

He stopped suddenly, as a sharp pain went through his chest, looking down in surprise he saw the gaping hole in this chest still sparkling off electricity as he fell into darkness. Two guards turned around to see a translucent wolf transform into that of a hulking Tauren, totem surrounding his bulk.

"Shaman!" A guard yelled before a cold gripped around his body yanking him from the circle of guards an into the cold blue eyes of an blood elven Death Knight.

A Fel guard charged into the human ranks, slashing at them with his mighty axe, and sending the guards falling like wheat to a reaper. The master of the demon, a goblin sat upon its shoulder, spitting curses at the guards who scrambled to regroup.

One lucky fellow was thrown far from the carnage, his arm cracked in three places. He arose, clutching the hunk of mess that was his arm, watching in dismay as the guards were being slaughtered. Turning to the great steps that led into the city proper he ran with all his might screaming of the impending attack at the top of his lungs. The attackers watched him go, and smiled.

King Varian never slept well, memories of his wife and the Crimson Ring often haunted his sleeping hours. He would toss and turn, restlessly on the silken sheets more used to the dirt bottom of a gladiator cell than the plush bed.

Warning bells faintly rang in his ears, as he struggled for sleep. It took all of 3 seconds for the noise to register in his mind, and Varian leapt up grabbing his undershirt just as the royal guard burst in.

"What's happening, captain?" Varian asked calmer that he felt, as he quickly strapped on his armor, and sword.

The feel off the blade gave him a bit of comfort relaxing his nerves only slightly.

"Horde coming in from the dock, by all reports they've killed 15 of our men down there!" Captain Dugal replied just as the warning bells echoed again.

"How many of the enemy swarm our docks, captain!" Varian forced himself to walk at a calm pace through the living quarters of the keep, though he wanted to sprint down to the docks fight.

Dugal's silence made Varian halt and he turned around staring wide eyes at the captain. "How many…"

"F-four, your majesty." Dugal replied, nearly in a whisper.

"FOUR!" Varian roared, looking like he wanted to behead his captain of the guard then and there. He calmed suddenly, going back to walk to the royal court shaking his head and talking to himself quietly. "Nobody would dare attack Stormwind with just four people! There are others, there has to be."

Other captains were beginning to arrive now, all looking tired and worried, waiting for the kings instructions. "Rally the militia and the guards. Send heavy patrols through the streets. Have barricades put on every bridge. Get sharpshooter up on the buildings. Have Anduin evacuated…" The king barked out orders to the captains stationed around him as he walked into the royal court.

With all the excitement and confusion, no one noticed the faint clank of muffled grappling hooks swinging through the side window in the room next to the kings very own court!

The grating sound of armor rubbing together gave the grapnels away to a nearby guard patrolling the small room. It wasn't a room of much importance it housed a portal that went to Hyjal and a garden, a welcome little sanctuary of peace for those who worked in the keep. Confusion stapled the guards face, just as the first head popped over the ledge. Before he could yell out warning, an orc flashed him a dirty grin notching an arrow into his bow, aimed right for the small eye slits of the guards helmet. Before the unfortunate fellow could topple to the marble floor, a blood elf materialized behind him, catching his weight to drop him softly.

"Dammit, Droga, you almost blew our cover!" The elf hissed quietly to the hunter.

The orc, however, only smiled as he helped a shaman climb the grapnel.

More where surfacing over the edge now, many more. Healers were chanting or praying in hushed tones, beseeching their preferred deities or elements to aid them. Champions made last minutes check of their armor, ensuring everything was secure and intact for the battle to come. Two rogues, one troll, one forsaken were guarding the door to the open pavilion making sure no guards decided to do rounds. The sentries where not needed however as the forces of Stormwind were busy securing the city.

Their leader, a grim faced troll shifted her shield from her back, taking a long deep breath to steady her nerves. She turned to the awaiting war party her eyes narrowed through her plate helm.

"Sutur and the others have brought us valuable time at the docks but not much. We go in together, the king is but one, yet a formidable foe surrounded by the best guards and have no doubt others will come to his defense."

"But we've got that covered don't we." A female blood elf snickered, her water elemental gurgling beside her as if in reply.

The troll nodded. "Yes we do, Lissira, you get down by the moat and do your thing."

The blood elf winked through crazy mechanical goggles disappearing into the night. With that the trolls set a quick pace exiting the side chamber right into the kings court.

Varian caught the Horde in the corner of his eye and immediately knew his forces had been had.

"The docks were a diversion!" He yelled out right as the troll charged.

Xig'wa raised her battle cry through the keep as she ploughed right into the king. Her shield hit him first, though he didn't move an inch thanks to his heavily enchanted armor. Using the end of his hilt, Varian slammed the sword down onto the trolls helmet sending her crashing to the floor. The quick troll managed to roll away, leaping up to her feet immediately to barely dodge a swing of the legendary sword. A guard scored a hit across the trolls back flashing sparks as sword met armor. He never got another hit in as a druid leapt upon his back, claws and teeth slashing wildly at any unprotected part of the guards body.

Down at the base of the keep, a stream of Alliance were charging forward, filled with the fury of Horde in their city attacking their king. One, a paladin, in the lead roared out to his comrades as they charged the keep. "To the defense of the king! For the Alliance!"

They stopped at the bridge where a lone mage stood. Lissira waved to them, a smile widely playing her face. The angry Alliance set out to her at once, no one taking notice to the Titansteel bombs strapped around the drawbridge.

"Bye bye." Lissira said in a pitiful spattering of common, turning into a block of ice just as the bridge blew up.

The blast sent shoots of water, wood, an Alliance through the air, rattling the keep, and Xig'wa knew they only had a little more time before the Alliance found another way to get to their beloved king. But time she knew was not on their side. The warrior barely deflected Varian sword, sending a numbing pain through her shield arm. Her arm was broken, she knew, and so did the king. Around her, she could see ally's…friends falling to Alliance steel and magic.

"_No!"_ She thought inwardly, they had put to much heart and work into this.

"Fight! Fight for your friends, for your families, FOR THE HORDE!" She yelled out forcing her shield arm to stay up even through it was agony to move.

Her rallying cry stirred the tired war party who found renewed vigor in her words. An arrow found the kings side his armor weakened by weapons and magic. A dagger slashed along his shoulder blade the tip just scraping his skin enough to send poison through his veins. A warlocks curse slowed his movements along with a mages ice bolt.

Varian fell to his knees in pain right in front of the bruised and bleeding troll. An orc grabbed his black hair yanking his head back to look right into the warriors eyes.

"This is for the Crossroads." Xig'wa informed him icily.

With a yell she grabbed her shield with both hands slamming it into the kings face. Varian uttered a small utterance of pain, as his head twisted into an impossible position. He fell onto his back, blood seeping from under him. Save the cries of the wounded all was silent. The warrior lifted her broken arm to the sky, the euphoric feeling of victory humming through her body.

"Lok'Tar!" She cried out tears mingling with blood.

The cry from the war party was enough to shake the court.


End file.
